V-shaped, pivotally retractable pour spout

ABSTRACT

A V-shaped, pivotally retractable pour spout for use with a container of free-flowing substances having an aperture cut in one surface thereof to form a tab retractable into and out of the plane of the surface. The pour spout is attached to the tab along one side thereof for movement with the tab at an angle to the vertical dimension of the container so that when the spout is fully extended, it provides a V-shaped pouring trough having an apex substantially normal to the container surface.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Max R. Dietz;

Gary H. Ward, Fremont, Mich. [2]] Appl. No. 763,726 [22] Filed Sept. 30, 1968 [45] Patented Feb. 23, 1971 [73] Assignee Gerber Products Company Fremont, Mich.

[54] V-SHAPED, PIVOTALLY RETRACTABLE POUR SPOUT 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] 0.8. CI 222/528 [51] 867d 3/00 [50] Field of Search 222/533, 530, 531, 528; 229/17 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,118,626 11/1914 Blake 222/531 1,520,006 12/1924 Brucker 222/531 2,007,553 7/1935 Vincent 222/531 2,832,516 4/1958 Von Culin 222/531 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-Hadd S. Lane Attorney-Townsend and Townsend shaped pouring trough having an apex substantially normal to the container surface.

PATENTEU FEB23 1971 FIG 5 INVENTORS MAX R. DIETZ GARY H. WARD BY m V ATTORNEYS FIG '.3

1 ll-SHAPED, PIVOTALLY RETRACTABLE SPOUT This invention relates to containers, or receptacles, for comminuted or granular free-flowing substances such as cereals and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to containers of the class having a discharge aperture and a pouring spout connected to the container for retractable movement from a closed position over the aperture to an open position wherein the contents of the container can be poured therefrom through the aperture and along the V-shaped pour spout.

Various pour spouts have been developed in the prior art to accomplish the two-fold function of sealing the container aperture and pouring the contents therefrom. The most common configuration of pour spout has involved a three-sided member includinga flat front body portion and a pair of sector shaped sidewalls that provide a U-shaped pouring channel. However, it is difficult if not impossible with a pour spout having a such flat troughlikebottom to accurately control the direction or rate of egress of the free-flowing contents from the container.

The present invention is directed to a novel pour spout configuration wherein when the spout is extended from an apertured container for pouring the contents thereof, it forms a sharply pointed V-shaped trough. The present invention comprises a two-walled pour spout, one wall of which is secured to a tab that corresponds in configuration to the aperture in the container. The tab and pour spout are hingedly secured to the container for rotational movement about an axis disposed at an acute angle to the vertical dimension of the container. It has been found that this angle can be varied from about 30 to about 60 and still provide an extended Vshaped pour spout that produces the novel pouring characteristics. 4

The objects, features and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent when reference is made to the following detailed disclosure, especially in view of the attached drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pour spout extended to the fully open position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pour spout in a fully closed position; i

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side elevational cross-sectional view of a container and attached pour spout;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view illustrating the container aperture and tab; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a pour spout blank.

Referring now to drawing wherein similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of the several views, there is shown pour spout A attached to a container B having rectangular-shaped sides (shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2). It will be apparent to one skilled in this art that pour spout A can be formed of materials such as rigid or semirigid metal including aluminum, as well as plastic or paperboard. In addition, container B can be fabricated from paperboard, plastic and the like, depending upon the type of free-flowing contents to be enclosed.

Container B includes in wall thereof aperture 11 resulting from the formation of tab 12 therein. Tab 12 is formed by providing wall 10 with straight perforation l4, arcuate perforation l6 and scoreline 18. For purposes of illustration, perforation M and scoreline are depicted as being perpendicular to each other. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in this art that any angle may be utilized depending upon the slope of the resulting V-shaped trough desired. Furthermore, arcuate perforation 16 can be of other configurations such as a straight line or a series of straight lines. As shown most clearly in FIG. 4, scoreline 18 is arranged at an angle a to the upright dimension of container B. Although angle a can vary widely, it is especially advantageous for scoreline 18 to from an angle of from 30 to 60 to the upright dimension of container B. In this manner and as described in more detail, infra, pour spout A when extended provides the necessary channelled guide.

Pour spout A includes front segment 20 and arcuate sidewall 22. As shown in FIG. 5, pour spout A is fabricated from a generally flat sheet which is bent along scoreline 24 so that segment 20 and sidewall 22 are arranged at about a right angle to each other. Segment 20 includes a plurality of prongs 26 bent from the plane of segment 20 to provide for attachment of pour spout A by segment 20 to tab 12. Here again other methods such as glueing can be utilized to secure segment 20 to tab 12. Arcuate sidewall 22 includes lugs 28 and 30 for retaining pour spout A in respective of closed and open positions. Sidewall 22 is further provided with lug 32 for limiting the extent to which pour spout A can be opened. It will be apparent to one skilled in this art that pour spout A can be fabricated with other physical configurations to provide for limiting movement thereof.

In operation, containerB is first fabricated to include aperture 11 fonned by cutting away tab 12 along perforations l4 and 16. Pour spout A is formed with sidewall 22 arranged at a right angle to front segment 20. Sidewall 22 is preferably about a segment of a circle so that when pour spout A is fully opened, scoreline 24 is substantially normal to wall 10 of container B. Arcuate sidewall 22 is then inserted into aperture 11 along perforation l4 and segment 20 attached to the outside surface of tab 12 by engagement of prongs 26. Aperture 12 is returned to the closed position, wherein it is coplanar with wall 10 of container B. This, of course, results in segment 20 also being coplanar with aperture 12. Appropriate external wrapping is then applied to the container. Thereafter, when employed by the consumer, the outer wrapping is removed, the pour spout grasped by extension 27 and angularly rotated about scoreline 18. The rotation of pour spout A is limited by stop member 32. Once this limit has been reached, the resiliency of the material from which container B is formed would normally be sufficient to draw the pour spout back towards the closed position. However, sidewall 22 is provided with lug 30 for temporarily locking pour spout A in the open position. When the consumer has removed the desired amount of free-flowing contents from the container B, the pour spout A is returned to the closed position and retained there by lug 28. In this manner pour spout A can be opened and closed until the contents of container B are dispersed or consumed.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent to one skilled in this art that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of this invention as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

I. In combination with a container for enclosing free-flowing particles that includes a discharge aperture in one wall thereof, said aperture being defined by an arcuate perforation and a pair of downwardly intersecting sides, said sides comprising a straight perforation and scoreline arranged perpendicular to each other; a tab corresponding in configuration to said aperture and hingedly connected thereto by said scoreline for swinging movement into and out of said aperture; a pour spout secured to said tab for movement therewith to open and close said aperture, said pour spout comprising a generally flat front segment attached to and overlying at least a portion of the outside of said tab, and a sector-shaped sidewall defined by a pair of radial edges intersecting at about 90 angle and a generally arcuate edge therebetween, one of said radial edges being coextensive with an edge of said segment, said sidewall adapted to extend within said container in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said front segment and tab when said spout is in a closed position whereby when said tab and spout are swung from a closed position in which said tab occupies said aperture about said hinged connection to an open position so that said segment is substantially normal to plane of said aperture and the contents of said container allowed to flow along said spout, said contents will be channelled into a narrow V-shaped stream formed by said sidewall and segment.

2. A combination in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sidewall is provided with a plurality of prongs for securing said sidewall includes means for limiting the extent of opening of pour spout to said tab. Said P p 5. A combination in accordance with claim 1, wherein said A combmai'on m accordance claim Y f said one container wall includes a top edge and is further characsrdewall further includes means for engagement with said con- 5 tenzed by the scorelme of 881d aperture being arranged at an tainer wall to maintain said pour spout in an openposition and o I in a closed position angle of from 30 to 60 with reference to said top edge.

4. A combination in accordance with claim I, wherein said 

1. In combination with a container for enclOsing free-flowing particles that includes a discharge aperture in one wall thereof, said aperture being defined by an arcuate perforation and a pair of downwardly intersecting sides, said sides comprising a straight perforation and scoreline arranged perpendicular to each other; a tab corresponding in configuration to said aperture and hingedly connected thereto by said scoreline for swinging movement into and out of said aperture; a pour spout secured to said tab for movement therewith to open and close said aperture, said pour spout comprising a generally flat front segment attached to and overlying at least a portion of the outside of said tab, and a sector-shaped sidewall defined by a pair of radial edges intersecting at about 90* angle and a generally arcuate edge therebetween, one of said radial edges being coextensive with an edge of said segment, said sidewall adapted to extend within said container in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said front segment and tab when said spout is in a closed position whereby when said tab and spout are swung from a closed position in which said tab occupies said aperture about said hinged connection to an open position so that said segment is substantially normal to plane of said aperture and the contents of said container allowed to flow along said spout, said contents will be channelled into a narrow V-shaped stream formed by said sidewall and segment.
 2. A combination in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sidewall includes means for limiting the extent of opening of said pour spout.
 3. A combination in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sidewall further includes means for engagement with said container wall to maintain said pour spout in an open position and in a closed position.
 4. A combination in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sidewall is provided with a plurality of prongs for securing said pour spout to said tab.
 5. A combination in accordance with claim 1, wherein said one container wall includes a top edge and is further characterized by the scoreline of said aperture being arranged at an angle of from 30* to 60* with reference to said top edge. 